I traded in a 99 BMW 328i for this car. A comparison of the two sports sedan would show a an edge to the BMW in ride and acceleration. Handling in the Lexus, while very responsive, showed it's tighter suspension in a harsher ride. Both cars are fun to drive. A plus to the IS is its tenacious grip on both wet and dry roadways. The Beemer was very skittish on wet roads, I would not want to think about snow. By the way, why is the lexus vehicle skid contol [VSC] an option on a $34,000 car.
Interior comfort is similar in both makes. I like the Lexus better in the short haul but long drives would probably give the edge to the 328. While the BMW dash is more classic luxurious the IS300 is modern sporty. The chrome shift knob in the lexus looks cheap, and as mine fell apart in my hand before I drove it off the lot, looks proved not to be decieving. I upgraded it the next day to a $19 Pep Boys leather knob and it looks great. Also a matter of taste is the "function following form" speedometer. The guage illumination is insufficient. Lexus should have stayed with their traditional dash illumination instead of trying a poorly implemented copy of BMW amber. Why is the the very compatent climate control system on top of the entertainment center? This is obviously backwards, since one interacts with the radio/cd much more than the "set it and forget it" temperature.
Trunk space is similar in both cars but the Lexus is not as useful, due to the rake of the rear window causing a limited trunk opening.
Drivetrain is more responsive in the BMW but smoother in the Lexus. The BMW while having less horse power feels faster on accelleration. Just the opposite of the two autos suspension differences.
In conclusion, the Lexus engineers came so close to "getting it right" it is shame they did not go the extra mile on the suspension. They should have let the horse power stay the same as the GS300 with the same engine, and limited top speed in the computer . This would have added torque and given a more sporty accelleration.
Amount Paid (US$): 31000